Ducks' top 10 rivals: Who's the most despised?

10. New Jersey Devils. If we can put an Eastern Conference team on this list, it's got to be the Devils. Let's admit it: the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals still resonates ...not quite-New York vs. not quite-Los Angeles ... Scott Stevens flattening Paul Kariya ... Jean-Sebastien Giguere putting the Ducks on his back ... Although they play just once a year, you're watching Devils-Ducks. AP PHOTO; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE

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10. New Jersey Devils. If we can put an Eastern Conference team on this list, it's got to be the Devils. Let's admit it: the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals still resonates ...not quite-New York vs. not quite-Los Angeles ... Scott Stevens flattening Paul Kariya ... Jean-Sebastien Giguere putting the Ducks on his back ... Although they play just once a year, you're watching Devils-Ducks. AP PHOTO; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE
9. Colorado Avalanche. Not a ton of hatred between these teams. Just plain old well-fought hockey and close games. Colorado became a particularly disliked team by Ducks fans when Paul Kariya joined them, although Teemu Selanne was on that Avalanche team as well. The Ducks eliminated Colorado in the 2006 Western Conference semifinals. ROSE PALMISANO, THE REGISTER; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE
8. Calgary Flames. Another Northwest Division thorn, Calgary is a grind-it-out, blue collar team than can usually dance well with the Ducks. The Ducks have dominated the Flames at home in recent years, but the Saddledome can be a tough place to play. ROSE PALMISANO, THE REGISTER; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE
7. Vancouver Canucks. Although it might lack the requisite intensity, Ducks-Canucks game tend to be entertaining, even games spiked by an occasional controversy (see Chris Pronger stomping on Ryan Kesler). Vancouver has the ultimate villains with goalie Roberto Luongo, twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin and enforcer Darcy Hordichuk. The Ducks eliminated Vancouver in the second round of the 2007 playoffs. AP PHOTO; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE
6. Minnesota Wild. Minneapolis vs. Minnie Mouse? Parkas in October vs. flip-flops in January? Minnesota and the Ducks couldn't be more different, but they always play each other close and with plenty of nastiness. Anybody remember the teams getting into near-fisticuffs at center ice before Game 5 of the 2007 Western Conference quarterfinals at Honda Center? There's also the always anticipated fight between the Ducks' George Parros and Minnesota's Derek Boogaard KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE REGISTER; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE
5. Edmonton Oilers. For teams that only play each other four times a season, there is dubious history here. After losing to Edmonton in the 2006 Western Conference finals, the Ducks acquired Oilers defenseman Chris Pronger for Joffrey Lupul, Ladislav Smid and a draft pick in a trade that helped the Ducks win the Stanley Cup the following season. One of the players on that Cup team, Dustin Penner, became a lightning rod of controversy when then Oilers general manager Kevin Lowe tendered Penner a five-year, $21.2 million offer sheet that set off a feud between Lowe and former Ducks GM Brian Burke. AP PHOTO; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE
4. Dallas Stars. With the exception of this season, these teams are playoff regulars, and they usually have to go through each other to get there in the Pacific Division. There's some postseason history, too, with the Ducks eliminating the Stars in the 2003 playoffs and Dallas returning the favor in 2008. Dallas has the perfect villain in agitator Steve Ott, and the Ducks return the favor with pesky Corey Perry. ROSE PALMISANO, THE REGISTER; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE
3. San Jose Sharks. The Northern California-Southern California rivalry has ratcheted up in recent memory, specifically the team's epic first-round playoff series last season in which the eighth-seeded Ducks eliminated the No.1 Sharks. San Jose came into the NHL two seasons before the Ducks, and both have developed a distinct dislike for each other that's displayed at least six times a season in the Pacific Division. A few more playoff tilts are due for these rivals. ROSE PALMISANO, THE REGISTER; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE
2. Los Angeles Kings. This rivalry works in almost every way “geographically, philosophically and emotionally. The teams were born enemies when the Ducks came into existence in 1993, much to the disdain of Kings fans fresh off a Stanley Cup finals appearance who derided the then-Mighty Ducks as a gimmick down the freeway. Ducks-Kings games are a good mess with plenty of fights and chippy play. The only thing keeping this from being a truly worthy rivalry is a long overdue Ducks-Kings playoff series. Maybe next season? AP PHOTO; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE
1. Detroit Red Wings. Hockeytown earns the top spot based on playoff history and sheer intensity. Detroit eliminated the Ducks in 1997 and 1999 before the Ducks upset them in 2003. The teams staged terrific playoff series in 2007, with Teemu Selanne's fabled overtime goal in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals, and in 2009 when Dan Cleary's goal in the final minutes of Game 7 was the difference for Detroit. These games are never boring. Red Wings Nation always fills Honda Center, and there are no shortages of storylines and controversial plays (see Pronger, Chris). KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE REGISTER; TEXT BY CURTIS ZUPKE

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